Family Ties
by BeckyBelikova9
Summary: Abe, Janine and Rose's relationship through the years
1. Chapter 1

Janine Hathaway was not happy when she found out that she was pregnant. She had never planned on being a mother. A guardian of course, a good one, a _great_ one, but not a mother. She was twenty years old, for God's sake, she was far too young for this, how could she possibly have the career she wanted, whilst raising a child? Her own mother was no help at all, never having supported Janine's decision to join the guardians, never truly being there for Janine, and always favouring Janine's more feminine sister. Both of whom demanded that _they_ be allowed to raise the child. In a manner Janine knew she would not approve of in the least.

She'd have to send the baby to an academy. It was the only thing to do, her own mother couldn't look after the baby, her cousins were... not respectable women, and she couldn't just give up her career. Janine didn't want to resign, she'd always wanted to be a guardian, it had been her dream since she was very small, she wasn't capable of being a mother, what else was there to be done? She'd visit, she'd call, it wasn't like she'd just abandon the baby. What Janine hadn't factored into her decision, however, was the father of the child.

Ibrahim Mazur was delirious with joy when his girlfriend told him that she was pregnant. He had never planned on having a family, until he had met Janine. Twenty-five was a nice age to become a first time parent, right? His own father wouldn't be very happy, of course, but Abe could handle him. He would be there for his baby, see her (he was convinced that it was a girl) first steps, hear her first words, scare her first boyfriend, go to her plays and recitals, if she was a tom-boy, maybe teach her to play sports, and just spoil his little girl in general. He was really looking forward to it, being a parent, he didn't care how many nappies he had to change, just as long as he got to see his sweet daughter grow up.

Janine protested this, asking him, how he expected to be a good influence on her, if was to stayed in his line of work? No, the baby was going to an academy, it would be safest, the child could grow up in peace. They wouldn't have to worry. Abe protested that, telling her that no child of his would grow up parentless and alone. Absolutely not, he would know his child, he would see her grow into an amazing young woman, just like her mother. They argued, they fought, Janine nearly punched Abe.

In the end, Abe won. Once Janine's maternity leave was over, Abe would take care of their baby. Given that he and Lord Szelsky were good friends, and visited one another quite often, Janine could see her daughter frequently, and get constant updates. They wouldn't be a normal family, but they _would_ be a family. The three of them. Their daughter would know both of her parents, and grow up never doubting that she was loved. It was a good life. While it lasted.


	2. Chapter 2

Rosemarie Hathaway was a very happy little girl. She had a daddy who played with her all the time, and read her a story and sang her lullaby everynight, and a mommy who she saw lots, even though mommy had lots and lots of work to do, very important work. Well, that was what daddy said, and daddy knew everything. Daddy also said that both her mommy and her daddy loved her very, very much, and that mommy would be home more often if she could. She believed him, because at three years old, little girls believed their daddies. At three years old, Rose had everything she could ever want.

But there were some things that she didn't understand. Like why daddy sometimes came home during breakfast with read stuff on his shirt, and his hands all red too. Like why sometimes daddy would get upset by letters he read in the morning, and look at Rose all funny, and then make his guardians watch her extra careful all day. She also didn't understand why mommy and daddy were so upset when Rose and her nanny, Tulay, got a ride home from the park one day with some men who _said_ that they were daddy's friends. Although, Tulay didn't really seem to want to get in the car with them, and was really, really happy when they got home.

Rose had no idea why mommy kept yelling at daddy, telling him that Rose had to go somewhere, an ah-ka-duh-mee, somwhere that she would be safe. Rose didn't care why they were yelling, she just wanted them to stop, and daddy to come and sing the lullaby to her. She wanted to stay here, with daddy, she didn't want to go to that place that mommy wanted her to go, and she didn't want mommy to back to work either. She knew mommy's work was important, that Rose would do the same work someday, but she wanted her to stay here, with Rose and daddy. But Rose didn't get what she wanted.

One day daddy took her and mommy to the big place, with all the planes. One of them took Rose and her mommy to some strange place where Rose didn't understand what the people were saying, or what her mommy was saying to them. She didn't know who this Guardian Petrov woman was, or what she was saying, or why mommy was saying that she had to go away now, and Rose had to stay, and wouldn't see daddy again. Rose didn't believe her, didn't believe that she would be left in this weird place, with people who spoke the weird words, without daddy to sing her a lullaby. But when she woke up, mommy was gone.

Rose cried, and she screamed for her mommy and daddy, and yelled that she wanted to go home. Eventually she stopped screaming, but she didn't know what these people were saying, and they didn't understand her. All she did was sing the lullaby under her breath, all day long, hoping that daddy would come and get her, and take her home. Eventually she stopped hoping that she'd see daddy again. She forgot what mommy and daddy looked like. She learned to speak the language of these strange people, forgetting her own. Rose made friends, and found herself a new family. She learned to love these people, and forgot the fear of her first few months, believing that St. Vladimr's Academy was her one and only home, never remembering her first home, with her daddy. But she never forgot that lullaby.


	3. Chapter 3

The first time that Rose remembers meeting her mother, was when she was five years old. She has no memory of ever seeing her before, as far as she knows she has never spoken to her, and the only things she knows about her mother are from the stories the guardians tell her. Like how her mother is an amazing guardian, and has fought many strigoi, and how Rose is going to be just like her one day. That her mother is from Glasgow, in Scotland, and her father is from Turkey, and Rose looks just like her mother, but with her father's dark colouring. Rose had been taught to revere her mother, to respect her. Naturally, she was delighted when Alberta told her that this woman, with the red hair, was _her_ – her mother. Rose had always wanted to meet her, she worshipped her, and wasted no time in introducing her to her stuffed, purple hippo, Henry, and asking her when daddy was coming to visit.

Rose had a very enjoyable two days, playing with her mother, even though her mother didn't really seem to be very good at make-believe. She was just happy to finally see her, after two years of nothing but stories, and no contact. On the third day, Rose waited in the lobby of her dorm, with Henry, impatiently waiting for her mother to come. She waited, and waited, and waited. Eventually Alberta came to tell her that her mother had been called away. Her mother was very sorry, she said, but she really had to leave. Rose cried bitterly, her dissappointment and anger making her too upset to take Yuri's offer of going on a picnic, and maybe even going swimming down by the river. She spent the rest of day crying in her room, and the next week waiting by the telephone, because her mother had _promised_ she would call. She didn't.

The next time Rose saw her, she was eight, and all her friends had just gone home for the summer. She was thrilled when Alberta told her mother was here, because she thought that her mother was going to take her home too. Just like last time however, Rose was sorely dissappointed. Her mother was only there, because Lord Szelsky was there, to pick up _his_ daughter. She hadn't come to visit Rose. She didn't even have time to see Rose do the gymnastics routine she had worked so hard on, despite the fact that she said she would. Rose sat in the gym, on her own, in her leotard, for an hour, her hair pinned back to perfection, waiting for her. Eventually she went to guest housing and asked for her, only to be told that she was gone. She left a short note, however, saying that she was sorry, and maybe next time. Rose was beginning to believe that her mother didn't care.

Then, when she was twelve, Rose fell _twenty-five feet_ out of a tree. Well, actually a moroi boy Rose had punched the week before for trying to push Lissa into the pond, even though Lissa couldn't swim, had puposefully broken the branch. Rose broke her arm, fractured her skull, and, _worse_, slipped into a coma for five days. Janine immediately flew out to Montana, just in time for Rose to wake up. Her relief at seeing her little girl awake, and chatting to the nurse, making the woman laugh, was indescribable. Unfortunately, her relief came across as anger, and dissappointment. At least to Rose.

What on earth had she been thinking, climbing so high? She asked her. She was lucky she wasn't killed. Rose retorted that, she always climbed trees, it wasn't her fault the branch broke, Joey Lazar had done it on purpose. Janine told her she shouldn't have punched him the first place. Rose told her it was the only way to get him away from Lissa, and that Alberta agreed with her, too. They argued for a while, until the nurse came back, telling Janine she needed to leave, so Rose could rest, shooting her a dissapproving look as she passed. She didn't visit the hospital again. Mother and daughter parted ways. Janine left, feeling like a failure, and Rose was left feeling unloved, and alone.

Five years then passed, (two of which Janine spent in a near constant state of panic, wondering what had become of her daughter), without so much as a phone call, letter, not even a birthday or Christmas card. Rose grew more and more resentful, feeling more and more unloved, Janine's feelings of failure grew, especially as she realised just how much reason her daughter had to hate her, and that she did hate her. That her daughter's behaviour and attitude were less than satisfactory, becasue of it - at least according to the headmistress. The guardians all seemed to love, and support her. Janine had given up hope that she could ever fix this. Rose didn't even seem to care when Janine gave her, her most prized possesion, the _nazar_ Abe had given her for her nineteenth birthday, at Christmas. There was no hope. But then Rose had to experience something Janine hoped she would never have to, not that young at least, and she got another chance to be there for her daughter, to show her that she cared. Rose actually _asked _to see her, sought her for comfort.

Janine then realised that her daughter deserved a lot more respect than she had shown her, and, despite her young age, she did seem to know what she was doing, and understand things her mother certainly hadn't understood at her age. Rose realised that her mother deserved some lee-way in the parenting department, that she had probably not really known what else to do at the time. That maybe if she had contacted her daughter more, it would have made the separation worse. They both realised, that there was a chance for a relationship. Maybe they could fix this.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite being absent for fifteen years of her life, Abe Mazur still had a pretty good idea of who his daughter was. A much better idea than her mother at least. Ever since he had been forced to give her up, he had been keeping tabs on her, waiting for the right moment to re-enter her life. It was the reason he and Janine had chosen St. Vladimir's. Given that one his guardians, Branimir, had a sister who worked there (Alberta), it would be relatively easy for Abe to get updates. He had never wanted to give up his little girl, but it had been their only option. He wouldn't allow her to get hurt because of him, because of his _business_. It had been a mutual, if reluctant decision, on both his and Janine's parts.

So, Abe had to content himself with pictures, and tapes, learn to live without seeing her in person, and learning about her first hand. He knew she was a very good gymnast, winning most competitions when she was younger. He knew she liked to dance, and sing, and knew that she was very good at both, given that he had managed to get his hands on the recording of every school play, and talent show she had ever participated in. Abe knew that Rose was a bit of a smart-ass, like himself, and was perfectly capable of getting her own way. Although, unlike her father, wasn't going to have someone threathened, or hurt, if she _didn't_ get her own way. Well, depends on what it was.

Like her mother, Abe had been worried sick, when she ran away with the Dragomir princess, but unlike her mother, knew that she must have had an excellent reason for doing so. He had faith in her intentions, if he wasn't _entirely_ pleased with her actions. When they were found, and returned to the academy, only for Rose's suspicions and reasons for running to be proven valid, Abe had the satisfaction of telling Janine, he told her so. Their daughter was no fool. She knew what she was doing.

But, when Janine called him, a few days after Rose's eighteenth birhtday, to tell him that she had dropped out, and run away _again_, he had to resist the urge bang his head in his desk. Why did she run this time? Trauma from the attack? Abe immediately put the word out, to unpromised dhampirs, to the Alchemists, to _everyone_, to keep an eye out for her. Nothing was going to happen to _his_ daughter, not if Abe had a say in it. And _Zmey_ always,_ always_, had a say.

Then, when the Sage girl found her, and took her to Baia, it was a little difficult figuring out how to approach her. He couldn't just announce that he was her father, he had to be sly about his. Of course, dear Sydney wasn't helping much. Rose may have known that he had rescued her, in the middle of the night on a strigoi infested road, but she also knew that he had a dangerous reputation. Only one person who would have told her that. Since Rose was wary of him anyway, and rightly so, did it matter if he scared her a little? She was obviously tough, and lived up to her reputation (Abe was so proud), surely she could handle him? In the end, if she went home, safe and sound, Abe decide that, no, it didn't matter if he terrified his own child.

He also decided not to tell her mother the reason that she had dropped out was, _supposedly_, to tell the Belikovs about Dimitri. That it was clear, perfectly clear, that his little girl's heart had been ripped out, and smashed to pieces when she lost the man she loved (he wasn't mentioning _that_ either). It was clear she was out for revenge. Or maybe the monster wearing her man's face, Abe was unsure, but didn't care as long as she stayed safe. It was also clear, however, that he could use the affection she felt for his family to get her out of the country, to get her to safety. Perhaps she'd want to make a trade, something Abe _loved_ doing. He'd keep little Viktoria pure, at least until she found another piece of slime to waste her time with, if only Rose left Baia. Of course she was _his _daughter, so he really should have gotten her to word her promise a bit more carefully.

He really shouldn't have been surprised when she turned up in Novisbirsk, covered in bruises and bite marks, evidence of what she'd gone through. Abe decided he wouldn't ask what happened, leave her keep her secrets, provided he saw her get on that plane, and go _home_. Out of the country, back to the US. Safe and sound. Although he decided to do her another favour, in asking Dashkov about his brother. It seemed important to his little girl, and even if it didn't go anywhere, at least he tried.

Abe got a call from her mother, a few days later, telling him that Rose was back at the academy, that "someone" had pulled some strings to get her re-accepted, and that she had willingly dropped back in. And she knew who he was. She wasn't happy that her father was a moroi mob boss, but would probably be pretty open, albeit wary, to a relationship with him. And she still hadn't taken off her daddy's scarf. Janine also asked if he was interested in coming to see her take her Trials. Of course he would, it was his daughter, he had to go, he would never miss it in a million years. The most important exam his little girl would ever take, was not going to be watched on a camcorder.

Watching his daughter annhialate everything in her path, had been one of the proudest moments of his life. Being able to put the fear of God into her boyfriend, was just the icing on the cake. He was _not_ going to risk her getting hurt like that again. It had been painful enough, watching her mourn at Belikov's funeral.

Ah, the joys of being a father. At least now, maybe he could be one again.


	5. Chapter 5

**I think I was supposed to do this at the beginning, but I'm just gonna go and do it now. **

***Official Voice* Any recognised characters, settings, pieces of dialogue... you get the picture, if ya recognise it, it ain't mine :P**

Abe and Janine were very, _very_, protective of their daughter. Escpeially now, after her being put on trial, going on the run, calling out a murderer in the middle of the crowd, getting shot in the chest, and getting her teenage friend crowned queen. In the space of a week. Yes, they were _extremely_ unwilling to let anyone with the _remotest_ chance of hurting their Rose anywhere near her. So, obvoiusly, they were not going to pass up on having a little chat with their daughter's mentor-turned-lover-turned-stigoi-turned-dhampir again-turned-lover again-boyfriend. Oh, not a chance. Especially considering Janine was _very_ interested in what was going on when those two were in St. Vladimir's. The fact that he had been a strigoi didn't bother them at all, no that wasn't it, of course not. It was the fact that he liked their baby girl, that they had a problem with.

It soon became painfully obvious, not that it wasn't pretty clear already, given the way he spoke about Rose to Janine at Christmas, and that he had helped break her out of jail, that Dimitri _adored_ Rose. Despite, when Rose was shot, all those questions running around their minds, would Rose be okay? Would she recover? Would she _survive_? Despite the horror of seeing those bullets rip open their child's chest, they didn't fail to notice _his_ pain, or attempt to offer him some comfort. Though, to their annoyance, he wouldn't eat, sleep, or leave the clinic, until Abe got Mikhail to help Janine practically drag him to get some food, and then to bed. Then he was right back to Rose's bedside. This endeared him to Abe and Janine, it really did, they were touched he cared so much, pleased the kids had found each other, but, well... They needed to be sure of his intentions, they couldn't let Rose go off with _anyone_, now could they? Abe wouldn't be Abe if he didn't intimidate _someone_, every now-and-again.

Now, Abe and Janine knew that Dimitri Belikov was not a man that could be easily intimidated. He had a reputation for being very level-headed and down to earth, had seven known kills, had fought bravely in the attack on St. Vladimir's, and was the perfect picture of calmness and compusure when he was restored, and paraded around, even after that terrible ordeal. Being put on display like that, especially for so private a man, couldn't have been _remotely_ tolerable, yet, he handled it well. Okay, they were going to have to let his attack, and incapacitation of, half of the Royal Guard slide. It had been, after all, in defence of their daughter. It really seemed that Dimirti was unflappable. Until, of course, he was faced with the prospect of spending the day with his girlfriend's scary, scary parents. Whilst armed.

It was practically comical. Janine thought, the fact that he kept calling them sir and ma'am was just precious, though she did like the thought of her daughter dating so respectful a young man. She could even forgive the age difference, and the fact that he had been Rose's teacher. Abe was just having fun. Yes, he was pleased with him, and thought he may actually be worthy of _his_ daughter, but really, scaring this man, this guardian, who could kill Abe a hundred different ways with his bare hands, was simply hilarious.

Now despite the fact, that letting him know exactly what was in store for him, if he ever hurt their little girl, was their goal, they didn't want their more-or-less son in-law to retreat into a shell, for fear of offending them, whenever he saw Abe and Janine. No they couldn't do that to him, it would upset Rose, they had to make him feel more comfortable. But how? Intimidation they could do, but Dimitri knew too much about Abe's reputation to fall for his charm. And Janine was just a hard, controlled woman in general. But, at that moment, they could give him something that he wanted, that Dimitri thought was necessary: Abe and Janine's approval.

Eventually, in time, Dimitri grew comfortable around his girlfriends parents. Lord Szelsky didn't leave immediately after Vasilisa's coronation, and since Abe ran his own schedule, they were around for a while. After spending so much time with them, Dimitri had no choice really, but to get well aquainted with them. There was no more "Guardian Hathaway" and "Mr. Mazur". Rose's enthusiasm for having her mom and dad around for so long was infectious, and Dimitri found himself looking forward, more and more, to seeing them.

Rose herself, was practically dazed from all the love. Never remembering having one parent in her life, let alone the both of them, it was pretty confusing at first, but she got over it. She forced her mother to reply to her e-mails, and was overjoyed, though she hid it, when Lord Szelsky made his rare visits to court, bringing her mother. Abe called her once, or twice a week, and visited every three, or four months. Rose had her boyfriend, her make-shift siblings, and for the first time in her life, her parents.

She started to sing that lullaby again, the one she used to sing when she was little, and had never forgotten, though she had no idea where she had learnt it in the first place. Hearing it nearly brought Abe to tears. If he was that kind of man.


End file.
